Fastening device



L. F. PHILLIPS FASTENING DEVICE Filed' July 2, 1924 ntented Nov. 29, 1927;

UNITED STATES u LESTER F. PHILLIPS, OF CHICAGO, ILIZiINOIS.v

FASTENING DEVICE.

pplication led July 2,

This invention relates to fastening devicesof that type in which interlocking members are secured to two flexible elements in staggered relation, wherebyupon movement of a' these elements towards each other to approx'- imately parallel relationship said members are brought into interlocking engagement so as to prevent the -flexible parts from accidentally leaving the parallel relationship intowhich they have been placed.

xIt is an object of the invention to improve 'the engagement of the interlocking members .by providing each of them with a plurality of interlocking projections and indentations on each surface to patentably differ from similar fastening devices in which a single projection is provided ony one side of an interlocking member to enter into engagement with an indentation or socket'on the adjagint surface of the next interlocking mem- L It is also an object of the present invention to improve the attachment of the fastenin'g members to the flexible elements and to make provision for properly spacing the i interlocking members on the iiexible elements.

With these and with numerous other oby jects in view,'various embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompany*- ing drawings and described in the followin specification.

n the drawings: Y j Fig. 1 is a-front elevation of a fastening 3% device of this character;

Fig. 2 is a similar elevation, showing a slide and certain interlocking members in section; y i Y Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section on a0 line 3-3 of Figi; t

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of'Fig. 1 through the slide for actuating and releasing the interlocking members;

Fig. 5 shows on each side;

Fi 6 is a perspective view of a spacing mem er; Y

Fig. 7 shows in perspective a modied 5@ mbodiment of one of the interlocking memers; A

Fig. 8 is a. perspective view .of two modiied, members in interlocking relation; Fig. 9 is 'a ,detail sectional view through a portion of a flexible element with a plutegral with the spacing devices.

I [t will be seen, therefore that each of these erspectively one of the 4&5 members with. projections and indentations' 1924. serial No. 723,784.

ralty of interlocking members and spacers, an

Fig. 10 is a similar detail'sectional viewand part elevation of a flexible element in- In Figs. 1 and 2 the fastening device isA shown in connection with marginal portions of an opening'to be closedthereby. These marginal portions 1 support the fastening device by means of strips 2 of cloth or the like. `The strips 2 which are sewed to the marginal portions are folded on themselves so as tov form near the fold a tubular part through which the flexible element 4 is inserted. Serially disposed on the cloth covered element 4 are in alternation the interlocking members 5 and the spacers 6. .The interlocking members or clips 5, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3 and 5, inclusive, are short bars of metal terminating at one end in bifurcated portions 7 adapted to be clamped about the cloth covered liexible elements 4.

Opposite surfaces of this `clip 5 are each provided with a plurality of interlocking portions. The interlocking portions on each side are formed by a rejection 9 and an indentation 10 respectlvely, the projection on oneside being directly opposite to the indentation on the other side, and vice versa.`

members projects by means of the teats 9 intoA companion members on both sides thereof, while each of the members is entered by projecting teats' of members also,V located at opposite sides thereof, whereby a complete interlocking of adjacent members 5 is attained when the flexible elements 4 to which these members 5are`securedV aremoved to parallel relation, as indicated in the lower part of the device shown in Figs.

1 and 2. y

A slide 11 for positively bringing the iexible elements4 to parallel relation, or for spreading them to facilitate the opening of the fastening device respectively, is shown in Figs. 1 to 4. It comprises a sheetmetal part having a central branch 12 and two angularly extendino branches 13, of sub.- stantially tubular form,' but open at the sides,'so as to be slidable along the margins 105 of the opening which the fastening device is to close. Above the angular branches 13 the fr ont and rear wall of the slide are fastened to each other by a rivet 14 orl the like.

At this upper end the sheet` meta.) of which n the slide in made is formed into a sleeve 15 Serving for pivotally `receiving a locking tongue provided with angularly projecting lugs 18 at each side thereof which are adapted to enter through the staggered openings 19 into the interior of the .slide 1], when the tongue is in holding position.

Owing to the arrangement of these lugs 18, the slide 13 is prevented from dropping towards one end of' the marginal opening after, its movement towards the other end, owing to the fact the flexible elements have been moved towards each other over their entire length, and the locking members 5 below the slide have been moved to interlocking relation, since the lugs then rest on two of these interlocking members. When the slide 11 is moved upward. the tongue 16 having then been released from engagement with members 5, the lowes portion 12 of the slide brings the flexible .strings 4 into parallel relation.

When it is desired to open the fastening device the tongue 16 is swung about its pivotal mounting so that the projections 18 leave the offset openings 19 in the slide, and the slide is moved downward again so as to change the relation ol the elements 4 from approximately parallel to an angular relation, forcing the locking members to release position.

As long as the prongs 18 project inward, as indicated in Fig. 4, so as to extend between adjacent fasteners. a displacement of the slide cannot be effected therefore the fastening device is maintained locked up to that point to which the slide 11 has been adjusted.

For the purpose of maintaining the individual clips properly spaced on the. flexible elements 4, spacers or collars 6 are inserted between each two fasteners on each element 4 in such manner that the clips on each element are staggered relatively to those on the other element.

A modification of a clip, also having on each operative surface at least one projection and an indentation, so as to attain a double locking effect with the fasteningclip above, as well as with the fastening clip below the same is illustrated in Fig. 7 where the clip is shown as a stamping made of sheet metal.

A strip of sheet metal 20 is folded transversely midway of its length, and the ends which are thereby brought into superposition are bent so as to form a fork or partly open cylindrical member 21 having its axis at right angle to the axis of the strip. The opposite longitudinal edges of the strip 20 are provided with projecting spurs or spikes 22, which upon the folding of the strip transversely about its middle are brought into alinement so as to form single projections 9 serving the same purpose as the projections 9 of the clip first described. By a suitable tool the two portions of the folded strip are pried apart directly in opposition to the spikes 9 so as to produce on each strip portion a bight 23, the bights 23 supplementingr each other to form a socket 10'.

This strip is retained in folded relation b v the provision of a lateral extension 24 project ing from one of the longitudinal edges of the strip` and bent around the formed clip so as to prevent the opening or unfoldin, r of the same. as indicated in Fig. 7.

Another modified clip is illustrated in l `ig. 8 in which two fastening elements are shown to be in interlocking relation.-cach ot the clips 3() and 30 are also being made of a sheet metal stamping. The manufacture ot' this particular modification is extremely simple and eheap,-at th'.` saine time. however, sufiiciently etl'ective to prevent accidental loosening of any of the parts after they have been placed into interlocking relation.

A strip of metal is provided near one end with an elongated opening whereby upon folding it about the transverse axis central llt) of said opening to the extent indicated at. 3l,

a notch 32 is formed which is adapted to at.- tach the elip to a flexible element 4. The notch 32 formed in this way is arranged to partly embrace the flexible element' t and can easily be clamped to it.

The main portion ot' the clip extending from the. notch 32 is cut transversely near the opposite end into aligned slits extending from opposite longitudinal edges, and terminate a short distance transversely of the longitudinal axis of the. clip. The, portions of the strip or clips located at opposite sides of each slit are then bent about the longitudinal axis in opposite directions. the pairs of marginal parts of' each portion project in the same direction. so that, for instance` the marginal parts 33 on one side of a .slitI are bent downward while the marginal part 34 at the opposite side of the same slit are bent upward.

Owing to this deformation of the strip there are produced two upwardly extending prongs 84 on one surface of the strip and two downwardly extending portions` of which only one of the prongs 33 is visible (Figure 8). Between these prongs 34 andV similarly between the other two prongs 33 there is formed an indentation serving for permitting the entry of cooperative locking portions of adjacent similar clips. one of which is indicated at 30', Fig. 8. The outer prongs of clip 30, therefore, cooperate with 'the inner prongs of the adjacent clip 30 and the inner prongs located closer to the head 31 of the clip 30 cooperate with the outer prongs of the adjacent clip 30. In this way a plurality of fastening projections or indentations respectively extend from each side of each clip to interlocking V be engagement with the adjacent clip above and ow the same.

In Fi 10 a flexible element40Ais shown in whic the spacers 41 for interlocking members are formed inte ral with the element itself, the element' eing constructed `as a wire having at spaced intervals enlargements 41. between which the interlocking members are mounted so as to be-held against axial displacement relatively to the element. n

I claim:

l. In a device` of the character described, a pair `of flexible members a series of interlocking members arranged on each of said exible members, the individual locking members .of each series being spaced apart complementally `and ladapted to operatively engage the interlocking members of the other series, and 'spacing elements on said lexible'members and disposed between and abutting adjacent interlocking members of both series of interlocking members.

2. A fastening device of the type in which a pair of flexible elements are provided with interlocking members, including on each of the interlocking members and on each side thereof an indentation .and al projection alternately arranged and adapted for cooperation withv projections and indentations respectively of 'companion interlocking members adjacent the opposite sides of said first named interlocking member.

3. A fastening device comprising apair of flexible elements, interlocking members serially disposed thereon, the members on one flexible element being staggered in relation to the members on the other flexible element and being adapted for engagement with adjacent interlocking members disposed on said other flexible element, and

spacing devices on each of said flexible elements -between and abutting adjacent ends of said members.y

4. A fastening device 'comprising a pair of flexible elements, interlocking members secured by one end to the flexible elements, a sl-ide partly embracing each of said flexible elements and adapted upon movement-to brinofsaid flexible elements into approximaty parallel relation to-cause the interlocking members to enter into interlocking relation, and means engaging simultaneously at a plurality of points between adjacent interloc ing members and adjacent said lexible elements for locking said slide in anydesired position in the series of interlocking members. j

5. A fastening'device com rising Aa air of flexible elements, interloc ing mem ers secured at one of their ends to each of said elements and 'adapted to enter into interlocking relation, a slide movably connected with botih of the lexible elements and havin a urait o o enins an aton e pioted) to the?1 slidepand provided witlua pair of lugs adapted to enter thru said v openings to be disposed between two of the interlocking members associated .with the same flexible element.

6. A fastening device com rising a pair of flexible elements, interloc in members serially arranged on each of sai elements,

each .of said interlocking members being provided on its upper-and lower surface with socket portions and projecting portions vadapted to coact respectively with projectins.r portions and socket portions f the next adjacent members both above and below, each of saidportions being formed from a strip of metal bent back upon itself.

7. A fastening device comprising 'a pair vof flexible elements, each of the elements being provided with enlargements at spaced intervals and interlocking members secured to each of said flexible elements intermediate two enlargements on said llexible elements, Ywhereby said enlargements prevent I axial displacement of the interlocking members relatively to the flexible elements said intercking members being similarly shaped and each having a direct interlocking engagement with Athe adjacent members on vboth sides.V

8. A fastening. device comprising a pair of flexible'elements, two series of interlock.-

ing members .each member of each series ben ing secured-at one end thereto in staggered relation, with respect tov those of the other series, a slide partly embracing the flexible elements and forming a substantially permanent part of .the fasteningdevice, and a stop member pivotally mounted on the slide for locking the fastening device having means on each side thereof for engaging 1nterlocking members ofi-theV two series.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature at 7 South Dearborn St., Chicago, Illinois.

LESTER F. PHILLIPS. 

